Friction drive



Nov. 6, 1945. H. A, MCKEE 2,388,491

.FRICTION DRIVE Fil'ed May 4, 1944h 2 sheets-sheet 1 I nvelztar /farylen A7 c/fee Qmmzn.

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n Nov. 6, 1945. H. A. MCKEE 2,388,491

' FRICTIQN DRIVE Filed May 4 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WWW F'Mmy;

Patented Nov. 6, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Fmc'rroN DRIVE Y HarryAlbert McKee, Washington, Pa.

Application May 4, 1944, Serial No. 534,141

1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in friction drives for use,especially, although not necessarily, on the crank shafts of internalcombustion engines to drive oil Well pumping equipment, and the like.

As explanatory, in driving the pump of an oil well by an internalcombustion engine, theengine must be startedfirst and then operativelyconnected to the pump, since the load of the pump on the engine rendersstarting the engine undesirable, particularly when` the engine must bestarted by hand, for reasons which will be obvious. f

Having the foregoing in mind, it is the primary object of my inventionto equip the crank shafts of such engines with a friction clutch, beltpulley, in the case of belt drives, between the engine and pump, whichwill withstand prolonged use without breaking down or developingdefects, is simple in construction, involves few parts, is adequatelyequipped with anti-friction bearings, adjustable quickly and easily tovary the frictional engagement of parts so as to prevent grabbing, andis easy to install and inexpensiveto manufacture and SeI'VCe.

Other, and subordinate, objects are also comprehended by my invention,all of which, together with the precise nature of my improvements, willbe readily understood when the succeeding description and claims areread with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part ofthis specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in plan illustrating my improved friction drive inits preferred embodiment,

Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section taken on the line 2 2 ofFigure 1, and showing the clutch disengaged,

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the clutch engaged,

Figure 4 is a view in longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 ofFigure 3,

Figure 5 is a view in elevation of one of the clutch discs,

Figure 6 is a view in elevation of the collar.

,Referring to the drawings by numerals, according to my invention, asillustrated, the crank shaft l of an internal combustion engine, notshown, has keyed thereto, on the rear end portion thereof, and as shownin Figure 4, at 2, a driven, tubularI sleeve 3 of suitable lengthprovided on what constitutes the front end thereof with a clutch disc 4preferably forming an integral part of the sleeve. Adjacent the rear endof said sleeve 3, which terminates adjacent the rear end the outercircumference of the sleeve 3.

of the shaft I, a second clutch disc 5 is movably mounted on said sleeve3 for lateral shifting and rotation thereon. The relatively fixed andmovable clutch discs 4, 5 are provided in opposed faces thereofY withannular, flat-bottomed recesses, 6, 1. Annular, flat-sided clutchfacings 8, 9, preferably formed of wood, and in quarter sections, arefitted in said recesses 6, 1, respectively, to project out of the same.

A hollow, straight-sided belt pulley I0 is rotatably and slidablymounted on the sleeve 3 between the clutch discs 4, 5 on roller bearingsII of a length corresponding, at least, to the width of the hub I2 ofsaid pulley, and which are suitably seated in longitudinal grooves I3provided in As will be seen, the straight sides of the pulleyIll'provide side clutch faces I4, I5 thereof opposed to the clutchfacings 8, 9, respectively, and the pulley IIJ is designed to beclutched to the driven sleeves 3 by shifting the movable clutch disc 5laterally toward the clutch face I4 of said pulley to therebyfrictionally grip the clutch faces I4, I5 between the facings 8, 9.Conversely, the pulley I0 is designed to be released from said sleeve 3by lateral shifting of said clutch disc 5 away from the clutch face I5of the pulley I Means for shifting the movable clutch disc 5 areprovided as follows. A reduced extension spindle I6, of suitable lengthand axially aligned with the rear end of the crank shaft I, is securedto the rear end of the driven sleeve 3 by means of an end flange Il onsaid spindle, and cap screws I8 threaded through said flange into saidend of the sleeve.

A clutch control sleeve I9 is fitted on said spindle I6 for endwisesliding movement thereon in opposits` directions, respectively, andwhich comprises a circumferentially grooved end 20 for receiving theusual collar 2| mounted by pivot studs 22 in a yoke section 23 of theusual type of clutchshifting lever 24 suitably pivoted at one end, as at25. The clutch control sleeve I9 is operatively connected, as presentlydescribed, to a plurality of clutch shifting levers 26 of right angleform provided with long lever arms 21 and short lever arms 28 and whichare pivoted at the juncture of said arms, by pivot pins 29, betweenpairs of eX- ternal ears 30 on a collar 3I on the driven sleeve 8, thearrangement being such that the levers 26 are grouped around the collar3| in equidistantly spaced relation and with the long lever arms 27extending lengthwise of the axis of the collar beyond the rear end ofthe crank shaft I in surrounding relation to the clutch control sleeveI9,

whereas the short lever arms 28 extend laterally from said collar 3|.The collar 3| is internally tapered, as at 32, and tted on acorrespondingly tapered rear end section 33 of the driven sleeve 3 withcorrespondingly inclined key connection, as at 33', between the collarand section, the arrangement providing for a drive lt of said collar onsaid section 33. The before mentioned flange I1 of the spindle I6 isopposed to the collar 3l to prevent the same from Working oil thesection 33. Cap screws 34 extended through the short lever arms 28 ofthe levers 2B are provided for engagement with the movable clutch disc 5and are equipped with lock nuts thereon, as at 35.

Links 36 pivoted at one end, as at 31, on the clutch control sleeve I9and having the other ends thereof pivoted, as at 38, to the free ends ofthe long lever arms 21 operatively connect said sleeve to theclutch-engaging and disengaging levers 26 so that when the clutchcontrol sleeve I9 is shifted in one direction, i. e., to the right asviewed in Figure 1, the clutch-engaging and disengaging levers 26 Willbe `swung in a direction to thrust the cap screws 34 against the movableclutch disc 5 and shift said disc laterally against the clutch face I5of the pulley I0 and thereby clamp the clutch faces I4, I5 of saidpulley between the clutch facings 8, 9 of the clutch discs 4, 5.Obviously, under shifting of said clutch control sleeve I9 in theopposite direction, said levers 26 will be swung in the oppositedirection to retract the cap screws 34 and permit the movable yclutchdisc 5 to be moved away from the clutch face I5 to release the pulley I0for idling around the driven sleeve 3.

Spring tensioned guide pins 38 provide for retracting the movable clutchdisc 5 and its facing 9 and are slidably mounted in radial bearings 39on the collar 3l intermediate the pairs of ears 3U with one end fixed inthe movable clutch disc 5, as shown in Figure 4. Coil springs 40 on saidpins 38, between the bearings 39 and heads on the other ends of saidpins urge the pins in a direction to normally retract the movable clutchdisc 5 and its facings 9 as soon as the screws 34 release said disc.

A suitable lubricating fitting, for instance the tube 42, is extendedradially into the pulley ID to lubricate the roller bearings il.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suice to impart a clearunderstanding of my invention without further explanation, since theoperation has been set forth in connection with the description ofparts.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modicationWithout departing from the inventive concept, and right is hereinreserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appendedclaim.

What I claim is:

In combination, a driving shaft, a driven sleeve keyed on the shaft, aclutch disc fixed on one end of the sleeve, a clutch disc on the sleeveintermediate its ends shiftable toward the fixed clutch disc, a pulleyrotatable on said sleeve and adapted to be gripped between said clutchVdiscs when` the shiftable clutch disc is shifted toward the xed disc,and means for shifting the shiftable clutch disc comprising a collarwedged on the other end of the sleeve, a spindle extending axially fromsaid other end of the sleeve and having an end flange bolted to saidother end of the sleeve and bearing against the collar to retain thesame on said sleeve, a shiftable sleeve on said spindle, a plurality ofscrew-carrying levers pivoted on said collar for operation to thrustsaid screws against the shftable clutch disc, and operating connectionsbetween the shiftable sleeve and said levers.

HARRY ALBERT MCKEE.

